Wednesday, 19 July 2017

Milia are small, 1-2mm pearly white sub epidermal keratin filled cysts on the skin. They are most commonly found on the skin around the cheeks, nose, eyes, eyelids, forehead and chest. Milia are very common in newborn babies but can affect people of any age.

What are the types of Milia and what causes them?

There are several different types of Milia. They occur when the skins ability to naturally shed and exfoliate is impaired.

Neonatal Milia. These are Milia that are seen in young babies soon after they are born. They are very common and are usually found around the nose area but may also occur on the scalp, cheeks, upper body and inside the mouth. They are thought to arise from sweat glands that aren't fully developed or mature. Around half of all babies develop Neonatal Milia. In fact, because they are so common, they are actually considered as normal in newborn babies.

Primary Milia. These are Milia that can occur in both children and adults.

Secondary Milia. These are Milia that develop in an area of skin, anywhere on the body, that has previously been damaged or injured. For example, after a burn or a blistering rash. The Milia develop as the skin heals and it is thought that damage to the sweat glands may be an underlying cause. Secondary Milia also sometimes develop after certain skin creams have been used - for example, corticosteroid skin creams.

Milia en plaque. Milia of this type are extremely rare. The Milia develop on an inflamed, raised patch of skin known as a plaque which may be several centimetres across. The cause for Milia en plaque is not fully understood. It usually occurs behind the ears, on an eyelid, or on the cheeks or jaw area. This type of Milia tends to particularly affect middle-aged women.

Multiple eruptive milia. The Milia appear in crops, or patches of Milia that develop over a period of weeks or months. The crops usually appear on the face, the upper arms and the upper trunk. Milia of this type are also extremely rare.

Treatment for Milia

Milia are harmless. In babies, they clear up after a few weeks however, in some adults, Milia can persist for months or sometimes longer. Secondary Milia are sometimes permanent. Because they normally clear by themselves, Milia do not usually need any treatment. Some people find milia unsightly and so opt for treatment. Milia may be removed using a fine needle and then squeezing, or pricking, out the contents. No anaesthetic is needed. It is not recommended to squeeze or try to treat Milia yourself. This can lead to skin damage and scarring or infection.

If Milia become very widespread and persistent, various other treatments may be suggested, usually by a skin specialist. They include:

Keratosis
pilaris is a common condition where the skin is rough and bumpy. It
looks as if the skin is covered in permanent goose pimples.

Keratosis
pilaris most commonly affects the back of the upper arms, and
sometimes the buttocks and the front of the thighs. Less often,
the forearms and upper back may be affected.

How
it affects the skin

The
patches of affected skin will be covered in tiny spiky bumps, which
may be white, red or skin-coloured. This spotting looks like "chicken
skin" and the skin feels rough, like sandpaper.

In
some people, the skin itches and there may be inflammation and
pinkness around the bumps. The skin tends to improve in summer and
get worse during winter months or dry conditions.

Who's
affected

Keratosis
pilaris is very common, affecting up to one in three
people. It can affect people of all ages but typically starts during
childhood, although it can sometimes occur in babies, and gets
worse in adolescence, around puberty.

Keratosis
pilaris sometimes improves after puberty, and may even disappear in
adulthood, although many adults still have the condition in
their 40s and 50s.

What
causes keratosis pilaris?

Keratosis
pilaris is hereditary and occurs when too much keratin builds up in
the skin's hair follicles. Keratin is a protein found in the
tough outer layer of skin, which causes the surface of the skin to
thicken, hence the name "keratosis".

The
excess keratin blocks the hair follicles with plugs of hard, rough
skin. The tiny plugs widen the pores, giving the skin a spotty
appearance. It's often associated with other dry skin conditions,
such as eczema.

Treating
keratosis pilaris

There's
little that can be done to treat keratosis pilaris, and it often
gets better on its own without treatment. However, if it's
bothering you, the following measures may help improve your
rash:

use
cleansers rather than soap – ordinary soap may dry your skin
out and make the condition worse

moisturise
your skin when it's dry – creams containing salicylic acid,
lactic acid or urea are thought to be the most effective

gently
rub the skin with an exfoliating foam pad or pumice stoneto
exfoliate the rough skin – be careful not to scrub too hard
and rub off layers of skin

take
lukewarm showers rather than hot baths

You
can also seek advice from a medical Skin specialist about treatments
available such as:

creams
containing retinol, which is derived from vitamin A

chemical
peels

microdermabrasion

For
more information contact the Claudia McGloin Clinic on 0719140728.

Saturday, 1 July 2017

Skin tags are soft, small skin-coloured benign growths on the skin that develop in both men and women.

Skin tags, medically known as acrochordons, are usually a few millimetres in size but some can grow as big as 5cm.

They are commonly found on the neck, under the arms, around the groin or under the breasts. They can also grow on the eyelids or under the folds of the buttocks.

Why skin tags occur?

Anyone can develop skin tags and some people are prone to developing them for no apparent reason. It is thought that skin tags grow where skin rubs against skin or clothing.

Skin tags are harmless and don't usually cause pain or discomfort but people may consider having skin tags removed if they're affecting their self-esteem, or if they catch on clothing or jewellery and bleed.

Skin tags can fall off on their own if the tissue has twisted and has died from a lack of blood supply but it is not recommended to try to remove these yourself!

Skin tag or wart?

Skin tags can resemble a wart. Here's how to tell if you've a skin tag.

Compared to warts, skin tags are:

smooth and soft (warts tend to be rougher with an irregular surface)

knobbly and hang off the skin (warts are usually slightly raised or flat)

not contagious (warts spread very easily, so a sudden outbreak or cluster of growths is more likely to be warts)

Removing skin tags

If you have a skin tag that's causing problems, speak with a skin specialist.

Skin tags can easily be burnt or frozen off in a similar way to how warts are removed. They can also be surgically removed and removed using diathermy.

For more details on Skin Tags and removal contact the Claudia McGloin Clinic.

All of our Procedures are provided by Medical Professionals ONLY. The Procedures and Skin Care Products used at the Claudia McGloin Clinic are not the same as what you will find in Pharmacies or Beauty Salons on the High Street! All Procedures and Skin Care Products used at the Claudia McGloin Clinic are Strictly for use by Medical Professionals ONLY and are Tailored and Prescribed to the individual.

The Claudia McGloin Clinic is situated in a discreet location in Millennium House on Stephen Street. All of our appointments are by appointment only and we ensure your confidentiality by ensuring that appointments are staggered so, as not to meet anyone in the clinic.